Family
by MissFantabulous
Summary: In his life, Elliot Stabler had seen many women cry. His mother, his sisters, his ex-wife, his children. But none of the times he’d seen them cry made him feel as horrible as he did at this moment watching Olivia bawl. Oneshot. EO.


**A/N:**-pops head in room nervously- Ahem. Okay, before I tell you what this story's all about, I want to address my absence from FF for over a year. My computer broke down- and I mean BROKE DOWN, like sparks flew out of it and it caught on fire and such- and my family just didn't have the money to repair it or get a new one for that matter. BUTTTT! Recently, my neighbor has been letting me use her's so I've been able to write a few things, review a few things, and now POST something! I **do **have another chapter of both There You'll Be and Six Years Ago Today in progress, but I want to make them extra long and extra special before I post them since I've been gone for so long. I'm soooo very sorry to those of you who have been waiting for a post for either of those stories. Feel free to leave me flames, I wouldn't blame you.

Anyway, this recently came to me as I was watching a few season 8 or 9 (I can't remember which) episodes. This is set before SVU finds out that Simon Marsden is NOT a rapist (keep that in mind) and before he meets up with Olivia in front of the court. So pretty much, he's still on the run and you'll find out what happens to him (and Olivia).

Once again, I'm TERRIBLY sorry for any inconvenience, but think of this as my peace offering. -hands over fic- I love you guys! :D

-Natalie

**Summary:** In his life, Elliot Stabler had seen many women cry. His mother, his sisters, his ex-wife, his children. But none of the times he'd seen them cry made him feel as horrible as he did at this moment watching Olivia bawl.

**Disclaimer:** They ain't mine, foo!

* * *

"Olivia, get in here." Cragen's call echoed throughout the squadroom.

Olivia looked across her desk at Elliot, who merely shrugged, and walked into Cragen's office. "What's up, Cap?"

Cragen stood from his chair and sat on the edge of his desk. "Take a seat, Liv."

"What's going on?" she asked as she took a seat completely confused.

Cragen sighed. "Simon Marsden was found last night."

Olivia's mouth opened slightly and she swallowed back the lump in her throat. "Did the Feds take him?"

"No."

Olivia looked up at Cragen, even more confused than before. If Simon was found and he wasn't taken by the Feds, then that could only mean-

"He shot himself, Liv. He's dead."

Olivia tensed immediately and stood from her chair. "Is that all?"

Cragen looked at her with concern. "If you need any time off, just let me know."

"No, I'm fine." She smiled lamely at him before quickly walking out of the office, directly past Elliot, and out of the building.

Elliot watched, bewildered as to what just happened, as his partner walked right by him and out of the precinct without a word to anyone. Setting down his paperwork, he rose from his chair and jogged out of the building, in a similar fashion as Olivia.

Once he was outside, he began searching for her, and just before he had decided that she had simply got in her car and gone home, he spotted her frozen in her car, hands on the steering wheel, staring straight into space.

Elliot approached the car and tapped on the passenger window lightly, signaling for her to unlock the car.

Olivia jumped slightly, then relaxed when she saw it was Elliot. She unlocked the passenger door and he slid inside.

"Liv, you okay?" he asked when she turned back to stare out of the windshield.

He placed a hand on her shoulder when she didn't respond. "Liv?"

"Simon Marsden is dead."

Elliot removed his hand from her should, stunned. "How?"

She finally turned to face him. "He killed himself."

Elliot was speechless. What was he supposed to say to her? That he was sorry than an accused rapist, who happened to be her half-brother, was dead? He sighed inwardly.

Regardless of his alleged rape, Simon was still her brother and Olivia needed someone to be there for her.

He placed his hand on her shoulder once more. "Liv, I'm sorry."

He could easily tell that Olivia was trying to keep her tears at bay.

"No, don't be," she said, shaking her head.

"Liv-"

"No. He was a rapist; you don't need to be sorry for his death. He's probably better off dead anyway." She bit her lip and looked over at Elliot.

Silence lingered between them for a few moments before Elliot spoke again. "Family is everything, Olivia. No matter how much you say you want to hate him and whether or not he's a rapist, he's still your family and you have the right to love and mourn him."

And with that, a single tear slid down Olivia's cheek.

Elliot gently squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and before he knew it Olivia had her head in her hands, sobbing.

In his life, Elliot Stabler had seen many women cry. His mother, his sisters, his ex-wife, his children. But none of the times he'd seen them cry made him feel as horrible as he did at this moment watching Olivia bawl.

She leaned back in her seat, tears still streaming down her face. "I remember finding out my mother was raped when I was 14. We were fighting and she had been telling me I was a mistake, that I shouldn't even be born. I thought she was drunk, but when I realized she was completely sober, I asked her what she meant and she just yelled that she was raped and she should've just aborted me when she could've."

Olivia paused, collecting herself, before continuing. "Ever since then, I always wondered if maybe- God forbid- that guy raped someone else and I had a sibling out there. Someone, anyone, I could call family. Then finally, I get the family member I've always wanted and he turns out to be an alleged rapist. Hell, I don't know what I've done to upset the universe, but I get it now. I'm not supposed to have family. I'm not supposed to get what I want. I'm not supposed to be happy."

"Liv, you don't get it, do you?" Elliot asked her. "You _do_ have a family."

Olivia looked over at Elliot like he was insane. "What?"

"Yeah, you've got John, and Fin, and Casey, and-"

"It's not the same thing, El!" she cried hysterically. "Yeah, the squad is my family, but it's not the same thing as the kind of family you have. You've got kids and brothers and sisters and just everything I've wanted since I was 14. You know I love the guys and Case, but it's just not the same thing."

By this point, Olivia had her head in her hands once again and her sobs were becoming louder. Elliot placed a hand on her back and began rubbing it gently.

"It is the same, Olivia," he said softly. "Family is all about love. You know that the guys love you, and you know Casey loves, and you know-" Elliot suddenly paused.

Olivia sat up. "What?"

"Nothing," he quickly lied.

"I know the guys love me, and I know Casey loves me, and I know…what?"

Elliot looked down at his feet and then back at Olivia.

"You know I love you, right?"

She nodded. "I know."

Elliot had a feeling that Olivia didn't quite get exactly what he meant.

"No, Liv. I'm-" he paused, taking a shaking breath, then looking back up at her.

"I'm in love with you, Olivia."

Olivia looked over at him, baffled. "You're what?"

"I-I'm in love with you," he chuckled. "I have been for…well, for as long as I can remember."

Elliot mentally kicked himself. What was he doing? Why was he revealing this to her? Why now?

Olivia was completely shocked by his confession. "Elliot, what are you-"

He suddenly realized that she didn't feel the same. _Oh, fuck._

"Um, Liv, you don't-you don't have to say it back or anything. I, um, I just thought-I thought maybe you should know because I mean you should know and I think that-"

His nervous ramble was cut short by the feeling of soft lips pressed firmly upon his.

After several moments, the two pulled away reluctantly. Elliot was the first to open his eyes.

"I...you…what was that for?"

Olivia's eyes opened and she smiled at him. "I'm in love with you, too, Elliot."

As their lips met in another kiss, Olivia realized that Elliot had been right. Family was all about love and she had to say, she had the best family in the world.

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**A/N:** Leave me reviews, flames, anything!


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